In my twenties, I deliberately chose materials often dismissed as frivolous or decorative—lace, embroidery, beadwork—traditionally associated with women’s work. The tension between these materials and the seriousness of the subject matter created a satisfying dissonance. Over time, this juxtaposition has become integral to my Work.
Throughout the years, I have worked across many forms, including digital media, and am currently focused on mixed media work that combines fabrics, acrylics, beadwork, and sequins. They merge a painterly sensibility with tactile, labor-intensive surface work.
The women depicted in my work alternate between celebration and vigilance. They are fully alive—powerful, sometimes dangerous, magical, flying, loving themselves, choosing abortion if necessary, experiencing oneness with the universe. They are gorgeous, sexual beings and fighters for justice, of diverse races, ethnicities, and ages, standing together. They are not afraid.
As I age, so too do the women in my work. My old ladies are fighters and living repositories of memory and culture. They are not hollow nor invisible, but the mortar that holds families and communities together, and fertile with ideas, intellect, resilience and life force.
Quimetta Perle, Artist 